Archive for December 2011
With Christmas gone and New Year’s here, this holiday season with family and friends is a test in your self control as well, when you feast your eyes on an array of delicious food at parties and family gatherings. Holiday season is usually a leap back on your weight loss plans. However, it is possible to enjoy your holidays with foods you love, if you know what weight loss foods to eat around the holidays.
Whole wheat, extra fiber bread is a best weight loss food. You can make various kinds of sandwiches that are fat-free or low-fat.
Chicken is another weight loss food that is high in protein. However, chicken should be eaten grilled, baked or steamed, as opposed to deep fried or coated with refined flour. Use it in soups, salads or sandwiches.
Egg is also a rich source of protein and nutritious too. Eat eggs, poached or broiled in salads, sandwiches or with cooked brown rice, instead of frying them or eating them scrambled with lots of cheese.
Vegetables, of course, are excellent for weight loss. Eat them raw in salads or cooked in pizzas, soups, stews or curries. Green leafy veggies, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, beets and lettuce are some weight loss foods to eat around the holidays.
Holidays are capable of derailing the strictest of weight loss plans. But try these fun ways of losing weight around the holidays and see if it works.
Adopt portion control when you serve food for yourself. Have small portions of food and wait for at least 15-20 minutes before going for a second helping because the brain takes that long to signal if your stomach is full or not.
Eat plenty of salads, which is healthy, before going for the main course. You will already feel full from salads and will not eat too much of the main course.
Drink lots of water as it is normal to confuse thirst pangs for hunger pangs. If you still feel hungry after a full meal, drink enough water and your hunger pangs will go away.
When you go for parties, stand instead of sitting or shake your legs to the music as opposed to nibbling needlessly at fried snacks.
Self motivate yourself with some pep-talk. You can say,” I will not eat” or “ I can say no to food” whenever you see food.
Enhance the fun factor with friends and family at some resort with physical activity like hiking, swimming or dancing during the holidays.
Prepare oil-free healthy dishes with chicken, veggies, fish and use these fun ways to lose weight around the holidays.
Obesity is a serious concern and the major cause of several illnesses in the world today. You have to exercise regularly and more importantly make the right food choices. As health insurance has become expensive, you can explore your options into how to become a nutritionist and counsel people on the importance of nutrition for all round health.
A certified nutritionist must have a four year degree in nutrition from an accredited university like American Dietetic Association’s commission which trains you to analyze cases, plan menus and practice cooking in real life cases and situations. If you wish to do a masters’ degree, you will have to do an internship in a local hospital or nursing home, which in turn will give you useful contacts of potential employers.
If you are unable to do a degree, there are specific nutritional courses that you can take. Day care centers need nutritionists to plan meals for children. Fitness and weight loss centers require nutritionists to educate their clients about proper eating habits and create diet charts and menus.
Contact your state’s health board to know the specifications for licensing for nutritionists, as they are different in each state. Nutritionists work in hospitals and plan meal charts for diabetic patients and others with chronic ailments associated with poor nutrition.